Justin Jefferson’s wide receiver ranking is what you would expect, but one element will put a massive chip on his shoulder
There isn’t much of a debate when it comes to Justin Jefferson’s greatness, but at least one voter is out of their minds.
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson is the best wide receiver in the league, and there are many in the NFL who share that opinion. In Jeremy Fowler’s position ranking series, he polled over 70 executives, coaches, and scouts about the top 10 players at each position. They ranked Jefferson second, behind Ja’Marr Chase of the Cincinnati Bengals.
“Jefferson, a past No. 1 on this list with a historic six-year start to his career, did not vie for the top spot as strongly as he has in years past. But he registered No. 1 or No. 2 votes on around 70% of the ballots, with several voters considering him a cut above the rest.
“I go by who I’d want on my team in a game or a season, and I still think he’s super talented,” an AFC executive said. “He’s a proven commodity that can do everything you need and can adapt to any defensive look.”
Justin Jefferson ranked as No. 2 wide receiver in the NFL
If you want to make the argument that Chase is ahead of Jefferson, that’s fine. He’s a very good player, and is more of a deep threat. He attacks vertically at such a high level that prioritizing it over Jefferson’s elite route running on all three levels.
Where Jefferson separates himself from Chase and other wide receivers is that clutch gene.
“Forget the 50-50 catch. Jefferson can make 20-80 catches, an NFL coordinator said. “That catch he made in Buffalo [in 2022], I don’t think Chase makes that,” an NFL coordinator said about Jefferson’s incredible one-handed grab while surrounded by several Buffalo defenders.”
Here’s where things get murky. At least one voter put Jefferson as low as fifth. I’m sorry, in what world does that make sense? He’s the best route runner in the game and a dynamic player on all three levels. Even with the elevated drops last season, quarterback J.J. McCarthy had a 28% off-target rate when throwing the ball to him. The issues he faced weren’t all his fault.
Jefferson is the best wide receiver in football or at the very least second, and should be treated as such. Either way, this will put a huge chip on Jefferson’s shoulder going into the season.
